Free Workshop Will Teach You How to Build a Rain Garden

A rain garden is an innovative stormwater technique used in many cities around the Pacific Northwest to help lessen urban stormwater pollution.

A way to make the most out of Oregon sunshine

(SALEM) - A workshop on how to build rain gardens takes place Thursday, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, at the City of Salem Water Resources Section of the Public Works Department.

It is being held in conjunction with the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District and The Friends of the Straub Environmental Learning Center.

The garden collects rain from roofs, driveways, and other impervious surfaces and supports a variety of plants. Not only do rain gardens make a lovely addition to urban yards, but the plants function to keep pollutants such as herbicides, oil, and pesticides from entering local streams.

The gardens also allow rain to percolate into the ground, which can help replenish ground water and limit flooding.

Because rain gardens are designed to absorb runoff, they do not hold water for a considerable length of time.

The workshop is free and open to the public; however, space is limited to 50 participants.

For reservations, call the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District at (503) 391-9927.

For more information on stormwater pollution, call Deborah Topp, Natural Resources Outreach Specialist for the Public Works Department at (503) 588-6211.